Infinite Green Energy
20. Mr Lachlan Hunter to the Premier:
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I congratulate you on your election to the role of Speaker, given it is my first time speaking.
I refer to Infinite Green Energy, which proposed a major hydrogen project in my electorate of Central Wheatbelt.
(1) Can the Premier confirm whether his government handed over $1.5 million of the $5 million grant announced in July 2023?
(2) Given that 90% of Australia's $100 billion hydrogen pipeline remains stuck at the concept stage, why did the government proceed with funding without ensuring the company was even solvent and without even meeting appropriate milestones?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
(1)–(2) We on this side actually believe that climate change is a thing. We on this side actually believe in renewable energy playing an important role as part of our future. We on this side believe that Western Australia can become a renewable energy powerhouse and create thousands and thousands of jobs and generations of prosperity that come with it. This is part of our Made in WA plan, which is about ensuring that we benefit from the availability of affordable, reliable renewable energy to stimulate and create a whole new sector and a whole new generation of manufacturing opportunities in Western Australia. It is because of our vision that the people of Western Australia decided they would give us another turn on the government benches, because they see that we have a plan for Western Australia to take this state forward. The other thing they probably did was look at the other side and see that it had no plan and no policies—nothing to provide the people of Western Australia with any confidence that if the Liberal and National Parties formed government, they would take this state forward.
Clearly, we are working hard with industry to make sure that we can overcome some of the technical, commercial and engineering issues that these nascent industries confront. That is one of the reasons why we have our Investment Attraction Fund. It is an important opportunity to back companies to ensure that they be a part of Western Australia's prosperous future. When we make these funds available, they are on the basis of very stringent guidelines and very detailed scrutiny in relation to those companies: Can they deliver the project? What is their commerciality? Are they able to service the grant and, ultimately, can they meet the milestones associated with that particular grant? The departments are assisted by a range of consultants who have oversight of the books of these companies to ensure that all these things are met.
In this case, Infinite Green, when it came to the government, said it wanted to create a hydrogen-based industry in the member for Central Wheatbelt's electorate. It was a huge opportunity for the people living in Northam and in that whole area to be part of the global supply chain of renewable energy. A great opportunity. It is one that if we could get it and seize that opportunity, we would take it, obviously. Upon initial assessment, the department gave us the advice that we should provide Infinite Green a grant that would see that opportunity come to light. Now, as the member says, I think around about $1.5 million was made available to the company as part of the initial stage of its project. It then became apparent that it was not able to meet subsequent milestones. Therefore, only $1.5 million of its $5 million grant was actually provided to the company, and it is because of this oversight that we were not exposed to any more financial risk in relation to the way that company worked.
I do not get any great satisfaction from being able to say that that company will only receive $1.5 million of its $5 million grant. We would love to see Infinite Green move forward and really be a pioneer in our merging renewable and hydrogen industries. But the fact of the matter is it did not meet its milestones, so we had to stop funding it. That is an important part of managing these sort of grants.
21. Mr Lachlan Hunter to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier disclose how many times he met or communicated with Infinite Green Energy or its representatives, given that the chief executive told the Supreme Court recently that he could call the Premier anytime to ask for a top-up of money?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
I would be delighted to provide all that information to the member. He just needs to fill out a freedom of information form.
